Boston Police are warning[3] residents, in particular Spanish-speaking ones, against a scam in which people get a phone call or text message that:

A family member or loved one is being held captive and will be harmed or held until the victim pays a specific sum of money. In several cases, the party being held captive is alleged to have been in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in property damage that he/she is unable to pay for. It is not uncommon for the caller to know basic details about the victim’s life, including names of family members, places of employment and school information. This information is used to help convince the victim of the legitimacy of the caller's claims.

Police say they've gotten several reports of this scam being tried in Boston of late, add it's been done in other cities across the country as well.